Process of producing photographic proof prints



March `27, 1934. L, Q $|MJ|AN 1,952,100

PROCESS oF. PRODUGING PHoToGRArHIc PROOF PRINTS Filed July 13. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. L, G. slMJlAN 1,952,100

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIO PROOF PRINTS Filed July 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 qui Patented Mar. 27, 1934 i UNITED STA TES OFFICE PROCESS.' 0F PRODUCING BHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF PRINTS' Luther. G. Sim-diam, New Haven, Conn. Application July 13 1931,. Serial Nm 550,541 I Claim.v (Cl. 95-5) This application constitutes acontinuation in extra photographs need be taken, with the result part of my application, Serial No. 274,901-, filedthat a` great saving of, bothtime and material MayA 1928. isf effected.

The present invention relatesto an improve- In' the accompanying. drawings 5- men-t in processes for producing photographic Fig. l,y isa front view ofv one form of holder 6uV proof prints and in particular to producingproofsy which mayl bel employedto hold the negativeand of photographic portraits; though not so. limited. proof: paper during the. vari-ous steps of my im.-

Themain. object' of this invention is to;- m-iniproved process;

mize the time-interval'- between the taking of Fig.,2is an endview-thereof;

1c ka given photograph and the printing of a proof Fig. 3` isa rea-rview thereof g, 65 so that, among other reasons, the time of the Figa-1- is-a: transverse sectional View on thek line patron, as well as the time and materials of the 4-4 0f Fig. 3; photographer;A may beconserved, asv will herein- Fig. 5 iS afV detached DeI'SDeCiVe V-eW 0f the after appear; v frame-member of the holder;

15 With the above and other objects View as Fig.. 6` is av corresponding view of the backplate- 70 Vwill appear from the following; my invention corrmember; sists in a method or process for producir-rg photo- FigiN '7l S- a liep* OI- plan VeVi 0f another ferm graphic proof pri-nts,y characterized by secu-ring- Of helder which may be employed. -Il plaCtiCne transparent negative-material (l-m or plate not. my improved meth-0d; andfgo as yet converted i-rrto-V a nega-tive by developing). Fig.` 8 isV a sectional view thereof taken on the 75 to aholder of. such character as will permit the liner 88y 0f Figi '7- access of light and' duid toi the sensitized. surface Incarry-ing. out my invention aS ShOWn irl Figs thereof and exclude-the saidfluid from the inner L t0: 6 i'I-lelusivet.- I emDlGy a holder @OmprSD e Surface of the same; subjecting they sensitized, rectangular frame lo formed inits forward face action of developing and xing fluid; and then- With a@ reeteHgu-lar recess 112 larger in Size than subjecting the sensitized surface of the now dethe Said Opening 11- and, therefore, resulting in veloped negati-ve-materialv toV light toA print an the formation of a; rectangular stop-shoulder 13 image therefrom. Ypon physically-distinct,photo.- aga-inst. which the edges of the front or sensi- 39 sensitive positive-material located. adjacent its tiZed-surta-Ce.l Gf 21: sensitized llmv 01 glass-plete 14,- 85

opposite surface. l hereinafterv referred to.. as negative-material, is

At present it isl the general. custom to start the pressed by-aabakplte 1-5 Whel Substantially 00rproduction of a so-ca'lled proof after the negarespondsin size and shape tothe recess` 12A aforeti-ve has been completed, that is.. to say, after said. The said backplate is pressed forward in 35 the same has been exposed, developed, fixed, the-recess 1:1- by al Dei-1 Of Spring-@1113516 DiVOted 90 washed and dried. This procedure requiresA so. by mear-1s of: studs'. 17, tothe rear face of the backmuch. time that a patron` can-not usually he preplate and having their respective: oppositely-exvailed upon to remain in the studio` until the tending yielding arms engaged with undercut proof is ready for examination and approval, grooves La respectively formed in the two rear- Q consequently, inorder to he reasonably sure of wardLy-exten'ding side-bars l9- of the frame. 10 so.l 95 securing a pose which will please the patron when as tohold the negative-material 14 firmly submitted to him. at some later time, the photog.- against the shoulder 1-3, and also to hold the rapher is compelled tof take numerous photofron-t or sensitized surface of a sheetv of proof graphs4 in order to be reasonably sure thatamong paper 20l or equi-valent photo-sensitive positivethe group. one or more poses will be found which material', firmly against. the rear or unsensitized m6 will receive the approval'. of the patron. surface of the negative-material 14.

By means of my improved methodl, am enabled As thus mounted inthe holder, the forward or not only to facilitate shop practices. but. alsoA to sensitized face of the negative-material 14, with produce a proof for the examination of the patron the exception of its marginal` edges,v is exposed o in sucha relatively short time after thev taking throughy the opening 1i inthe frame tothe action 105 of the portrai-tthat the patron isv usually willing ot developing, fixing and rinsing uids, While. to await the result of one picture before requirthe forward or sensitized. surface of the proof.' ing. the photographer to:- proceed with the taking paper 201is exposedf through the transparent neg,- of additional photographs. Thus, as soon as a ative-material only to the action of light. The

3- pose satisfactory to the patron is secured, no pressure of the backplate 15 in pressing the neg- 11G surface of the saidnegative-materialtothe. wthareetangular @Delli-11g l1. and i-II its rear faee 80 lil 46 inclusive, l may employ being drawn inward ative-material against the shoulder 13 will serve to exclude fluids from reaching the proof paper.

With the negative-material and proof paper mounted in the frame as above described, the frame, together with its contents, may be positioned in a camera for exposing the negative-material if the saine has not been previously exposed. After the exposure of the negative-material a developing fluid is applied to the frontV or sensitized surface of the saine through the opening frame 10, preferably by spraying the developer thereon, or, if desired, by ooding the outer sensitized surface thereof with developer.

After the negative-material has been properly developed a fixing fluid is applied to the outer sensitized face 'thereof to fix the same, a mixture of both developing fluid and fixing fluid may be applied to act concurrently, as iS common' practice.

Within a very short time after the initial application of the fixing fluid to the noiv developed negative-material, as above described, the same may be subjected to light for causing the image recorded on the negative to print upon the proof paper 2%, and this printing light may continue to play upon the negative and through it upon the proof paper 2O until the comp operation and through the subsequent rinsing and drying operations if required, so that the time required to finish the negative subsequent to its development and at least partial fixing may be utilized also to print the proof.

En carrying out my improved process, instead of using a holder of the character shown in Figs. l to a suction-operated holder such as shown in Figs. 7 and S. holder consists, as shown, of a cup-shaped bodyniember 2l having aninternally-threaded boss 22 projecting therefrom, into which is threaded a eine 23 leading to any convenient source of sucsuch as a vacuum-pump. @ver the top of the chamber 2i created by the cup-shaped form of the body-nie'irber 2i l secure by solder, or in any other convenient manner, a perforated plate 25, upon the upper surface of which is cemented a pad sponge rubber 26 having its side edges and the marginal of its top and bottom faces covered by an oervious coating 27 of rubber;

rShe central area of the'pad 26 is-thus left uncovered, as shown, so that air under the action of suction created in the chamber 24 may pass through the said pad. immediately upon the upper surface of the central exposed area of the said pad 26 l1 place a section of proof paper or other photo-sensitive positive-material 20, preferably sl -htly smaller in area than the exposed upper area of the sponge rubber constituting the pad 25.

tcp of the proof paper 2l) is placed the transparent negative-material 1 4 which, in this instance, is preferably larger in area than the proof paper, so as to lap over upon the upper surface of the coating 27 around the marginal area of pad, to thus prevent fluid from by the suction into the porous body of the pad.

From the foregoing, it Will be seen that when suction created from any suitable source in the chamber the proof paper 20 and the negative-material 14. willv be drawn snugly into engagement with the upper surface of the pad 26 and that the overhanging margins of the negative-material will beA drawn into fluid-tight enll in the Y though tion of the fixing' This gagernent with the coating 27 surrounding the marginal area of the said pad.

Developing and fixing fluids, either separately or mixed, may be applied to the outer sensitized surface of the negative material 14 as positioned in the holder of Figs. l and 8 in any approved manner, such as by spraying the fluid thereon or partly or wholly immersing the holder in a suitable bath.

Preferably, in carrying out my improved process, the outer sensitized surface of the negative- 1 material 14 will be kept covered by a iilm of fluid vduring the printing operation,

so as to avoid the Warpage or spotting of the negative-material as a result of the heat directed thereat during the printing operation. Such a film of moisture as just referred to may be maintained in any approved rnanner such as by spraying fluid on the negative-material during the printing operation or by ilooding the entire surface thereof.

Various other types of holders are suitable in carrying out my invention and I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to those chosen herein for illustration. Any holder having the characteristics set forth in the appended claim 1 will serve in practicing my invention.

l't is not essential to the successful practicing of my improved process, that the proof paper be already in position behind the negative-material during the development of the latter, since obviously the said Vproof paper may be placed in position at any time before printing.

TWhile have found it feasible to subject the negative-material to the action of light, in order to print the proof very shortly after the starting of the using operation and before the completion thereof,A it is obvious that the printing may be caused to take place after the completion of the 'hiring operation and during any one of the subsequent operations required to finish the negative. have found my improved process especially useful in studios employing automatic and semiautornatic photographic apparatus, since a single ttendant is often required to care for a number of machines and hence a savin T of time is of vital importance.

I claim:

A process for producing photographic proofprints without requiring the destruction of the negative, comprising: selecting photo-sensitive positive material and transparent photo-sensitive negative material, each of which constitutes a separate and physically-distinct entity andrelatively positioning the said materials so that the CTI sensitized surface of the said negative material 13G is accessible to iiuid and faces away from the said positivematerial for being later huid-treated; negative material while thus positioned to the action of developing and fixing fluids and at the same time excluding the said fluid from the sensitized surface of the said positive material; subjecting the exposed sensitized surface of the nowdeveloped negative material to the action of light to print an image therefrom upon the said separate and physically-distinct photo-sensitive positive mate dal; and separating the now-developed negative material and the said positive material Whilst maintaining their individual integrity, whereby a proof-print is obtained and a negative is preserved for the further production of positive prints.

' LUTHER G. SIMJIAN.

subjecting the sensitized surface of the 

